Tags
Daniel 3:16-18, Faithfulness, Faithless, He Is Able, Hebrews 11:1-6, Hebrews 13:5-6, Help Thou My Unbelief, Isaiah 55:6-11, John 10:27-30, Mark 9:23-24, Philippians 4:19-20, Psalm 37:3-8, Resting In Jesus, Revelation 3:20, Romans 5:6-11, Trust HIM
Bible Ballistics: Vol.14 No.06 Faithful When We Are Faithless???
I have a word for today that I want to talk about with you all– faith—an oft misused and misunderstood term, but the bedrock and the very core of the Gospel we believe in. The author of Hebrews put it in a nutshell for us, if you will.
“Now faith is the substance
of things hoped for,
the evidence
of things not seen…
…6 But without faith
it is impossible
to please him:
for he that cometh to God
must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder
of them
that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:1, 6
We must seek HIM—but it is HIS grace, convicting power, and the drawing of the Holy Spirit that calls us and draws us to Him. Isaiah told of it, and even Jesus pictures it!
“Seek ye the LORD
while he may be found,
call ye upon him
while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake
his way,
and the unrighteous man
his thoughts:
and let him return
unto the LORD,
and he will have mercy
upon him;
and to our God,
for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts
are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways
my ways,
saith the LORD.
9 For as the heavens
are higher than the earth,
so are my ways
higher than your ways,
and my thoughts
than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain
cometh down,
and the snow
from heaven,
and returneth not thither,
but watereth the earth,
and maketh it bring forth and bud,
that it may give seed to the sower,
and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be
that goeth forth
out of my mouth:
it shall not return unto me
void,
but it shall accomplish
that which I please,
and it shall prosper
in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:6-11
God is calling and has always called us to Himself—salvation is the work of God, not of our own hands! If you don’t know Him, Jesus is calling you to Himself today; He has paid the price for your sin and mine! And faith is being willing to see our sin, as sin, repenting of it, and receiving the sacrifice that HE has paid for all whosoever will!
“Behold,
I stand at the door,
and knock:
if any man hear my voice,
and open the door,
I will come in
to him,
and will sup
with him,
and he
with me.” Revelation 3:20
Have you answered the door? Maybe you have opened the door, yet lost hope due to your circumstances, well God knows your heart and your circumstances; and He also understands when we are too weak to hold on—that’s why HE holds us!
“Jesus said unto him,
If thou canst believe,
all things are possible
to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child
cried out,
and said with tears,
Lord, I believe;
help thou mine unbelief.” Mark 9:23-24
Oh, how often I have cried out to my Lord Jesus in this way—times when faith seems so distant that I can’t bear it, and yet the God who called me to Himself always meets me there; and He will meet you where you are! No matter the difficulty, God is able to lift us up! Praise be to HIS name! Our God knows your heart, and even when we stand in danger of the fires of persecution, discouragement, or just plain weariness, our God is able. We can stand with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (or Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, their Jewish names—each reflecting the character of God); and just as these three had Jesus meet them in the fire, remember that He will never allow you to go through it alone either.
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
answered and said to the king,
O Nebuchadnezzar,
we are not careful to answer thee
in this matter.
17 If it be so,
our God
whom we serve
is able to deliver us
from the burning fiery furnace,
and he will deliver us
out of thine hand, O king.
18 But if not,
be it known unto thee, O king,
that we will not serve thy gods,
nor worship the golden image
which thou hast set up.” Daniel 3:16-18
We can trust ourselves to HIM just as these three did, for HE is always there (where ever ‘there’ is for you today!)!
“Let your conversation
be without covetousness;
and be content
with such things as ye have:
for he hath said,
I will never leave thee,
nor forsake thee.
6 So that we may boldly say,
The Lord is my helper,
and I will not fear
what man shall do unto me.” Hebrews 13:5-6
Jesus Himself assured us of His presence—even when we fail, as we often do–HE is ever faithful to keep His own.
“My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them,
and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life;
and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me,
is greater than all;
and no man is able to pluck them
out of my Father’s hand.
30 I and my Father
are one.” John 10:27-30
Have you heard His voice? Have you repented of your own sin and opened the door to His’ knock? Are you questioning His work in your life—look up and trust HIM! He who bore our sins is faithful even when we are faithless!
“For when we were yet without strength,
in due time Christ died
for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man
will one die:
yet peradventure for a good man
some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love
toward us,
in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
9 Much more then,
being now justified
by his blood,
we shall be saved
from wrath
through him.
10 For if,
when we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God
by the death of his Son,
much more,
being reconciled,
we shall be saved
by his life.
11 And not only so,
but we also joy in God
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom we have now received
the atonement.” Romans 5:6-11
So, may we each take courage and hope in our faithful God! He knows where you and I are, and He will provide! He will help our unbelief—and we all have it from time to time–so just rest in His grace and in His promise to supply.
“But my God shall supply
all your need
according to his riches
in glory
by Christ Jesus.
20 Now unto God
and our Father
be glory
for ever and ever. Amen.” Philippians 4:19-20
And in closing, one of my favorite reminders of the practice of faith and obedient walking with our Lord.
“Trust in the LORD,
and do good;
so shalt thou dwell in the land,
and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also
in the LORD;
and he shall give thee
the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD;
trust also in him;
and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness
as the light,
and thy judgment
as the noonday.
7 Rest
in the LORD,
and wait patiently
for him:
fret not thyself
because of him who prospereth
in his way,
because of the man
who bringeth wicked devices
to pass.
8 Cease from anger,
and forsake wrath:
fret not thyself
in any wise
to do evil.” Psalm 37:3-8
May God speak to your heart and lift you up where ever you are.
Amen and Amen!
